Page:The Zoologist, 1st series, vol 4 (1846).djvu/203

Rh those attracted by such an unusual circumstance. At three o'clock they suddenly dis- appeared, and not one has since been observed in the neighbourhood.—Barclay Clibborn; Anner Park, April 25th, 1846.

Further Notes on the Moorhen, in reply to Mr. Atkinson. — Having read in the May number of the ' Zoologist ' Mr. Atkinson's further observations addressed to me rela- tive to the moorhen's power of keeping itself submerged by means of its feet, I feel myself now called upon to give some reply to those and the previous observations which I have not noticed before ; my reasons for not having sooner done so, it is now unnecessary for me to state. Let me first set forth the real points in difference, and then it will appear, whether I have "overlooked" or altered my position, or Mr. Atkin- son has varied his. In the 'Zoologist,' (Zool. 498) appeared a paper of Mr. Atkinson's under the head, 'Notes on the Moorhen,' in which the following amongst other pas- sages occur. After describing the habits of the dabchick and the moorhen, Mr. At- kinson states with reference to "the latter bird : "But after diving, especially if pur- sued by a dog, it seldom comes to the surface again, but remains submerged with merely its beak thrust out for the purpose of respiration." He then goes on to remark upon dabchicks and moorhens, and the means they adopt of escaping when alarmed, and adds, with reference to the reappearance of a moorhen that had dived, and which he was watching. "The bill was first thrust higher out of the water, then followed the head as far as the eyes, and then the whole head. Careful glances were thrown round, and if all remained quiet, the whole bird presently reappeared, and it resumed its search after food. I apprehend that no moorhen — that no bird whatever indeed, could put itself into this posture, and retain it independently of external assistance. The feet are the instruments by which they are enabled to remain in the state of sub- mergence." Now I conceived the words used by Mr. Atkinson "this posture," and again, "the state of submergence," could only mean the posture and the state of sub- mergence before described ; namely, with "the bill first thrust higher out of the wa- ter," and then "the whole head"; and that Mr. Atkinson must be understood to intend that in that state they held themselves by their feet, assisted by means of some exter- nal assistance ; under that impression I sent the following observation to the 'Zoolo- gist,' (Zool. 667.) viz. "I venture to trouble you with the following remarks which have occured to me in consequence of reading in the April number of the 'Zoologist,' under the head of 'Notes on the Moorhen,' some observations with reference to the power which the moorhen possesses of 'submergence, and of keeping its body and all but its beak or head concealed under water, when alarmed by the approach of an enemy. It is stated by your correspondent, (Zool. 498) that the feet are the instru- ments by which they are enabled to remain in this state of submergence.' And that 'they lay hold of some weed or flag, and by the purchase so obtained, resist the ten- dency of the water to buoy up their bodies, &c.'" Those are the words used by me in first stating the nature of the question wherein I differed from Mr. Atkinson, in think- ing that the feet were the power which enabled the moorhen "to remain in this state of submergence," namely that of "its body and all but its beak or head concealed un- der water." I then proceed to state my reasons for differing from Mr. Atkinson upon that point, and amongst others, that the same power of submergence being possessed by all the duck and diver tribes, the formation of whose feet prevents their acquiring any purchase or hold upon weeds, even if there were any within their reach, and after some further observations, I also added, "But I venture to suggest that the power of submergence is derived from another power possessed by the various classes of water- IV